Healthy Self-Defense

An important way of showing self-respect is by taking care of your health. This means caring for your body and your mind. Having a healthy body helps you have a healthy mind, and vice versa.
Caring for your body can include exercising, eating nutritious foods, and avoiding activities that are known to be unhealthy. Our Health Kick articles are a great source of important health and fitness related information. A healthy person will exercise at least three times per week for 45 minutes each time. Martial Arts is a great way to fill these time slots. Another habit of healthy people is the consumption of both fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. This combination of foods increases energy while decreasing the chance of illness. Taking good care of your body also increases your mind power, which is another key element of personal health.
You can take care of your mind by “exercising” it with good inputs and challenging mental activities. For example, you can benefit from reading materials that are educational and positive. Other healthy activities for the mind include sports, such as the Martial Arts, that challenge the brain and increase one’s positive self-image. People who focus on maintaining a healthy mind and a healthy body tend to be happier and live much longer than those who do not.

Think of some personal examples of things you do that are good for your health.

Below are just a few guidelines of how you can care for your mind and body:

● Eat healthfully. Avoid eating fast food on a regular basis and put a limit on sugars and sweet snacks.

● Get active. The more active you are, the better your body will function. Activities such as the Martial Arts, jogging, and swimming are just a few ways that you can keep your body active.

● Build a thirst for knowledge. Education is to your brain what physical exercise is to your body. The more you seek out opportunities to learn, the better your mind will function.

● Get a good night’s sleep every night. Sleep helps your mind and body re-energize for the next day. If your mind and body do not get enough rest, then neither will function well the next day.
Remember, your mind and body need tender loving care to stay in top condition. Unless you give both enough care and attention, you will limit your potential and quality of life. The benefits to taking care of your health are well worth the time and effort.